NewzVille Desk
Taking a firm stand at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers’ meeting in China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the joint declaration. His decision came because the declaration did not mention the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
India continues to reiterate its strong stance in the fight against terrorism. Member states, including Russia, Pakistan, and China, are attending the summit in China’s Qingdao to discuss issues related to regional and international security.
Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a dig at Pakistan for using cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy.
Attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers’ meet in China, Rajnath Singh reiterated India’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorism, saying any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever, and by whosoever committed.
Without naming Pakistan, the Defence Minister stressed that SCO countries must unite in condemning states that use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy.
Rajnath Singh asserted that the biggest challenges countries face today relate to peace, security, and trust deficits. He also explained the root cause of these problems.
He spoke about the dastardly and heinous Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 civilians on April 22, terming the Operation Sindoor carried out thereafter as India’s “Right to Defend.”
The Defence Minister stated that acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, urging unequivocal condemnation by SCO members.
